Adventures in Innistrad
by Shouhei Narumi
Summary: A stand-alone story. It features my OC Ailis, the zombie Planeswalker who planeswalks back to Innistrad only to run across a necromancer and a skaberen.
1. Chapter 1

"Finally back in Innistrad. I wonder if that bastard who took my life is here." I whispered, brushing some dust from the shoulders of my cloak. When I heard a loud piercing whistle I froze, listening. After peering into the fog I couldn't make out a thing and I sighed, wondering which way lead into town. After a minute I started to walk having given up on seeing anything in the fog that swept over the ground I'd planeswalked to.

It wasn't long until I began to shiver so I pulled the cloak Jace had given me tighter around my shoulders as I walked through the grey fog, the cold feeling like it was seeping into my bones. I soon heard the whistle again, even closer this time and I frowned wondering where it was coming from.

"Who in their right mind would be out in this cold? Other than me of course. I can barely see an inch in front of my face!" I yelped as I tripped over something lying directly beneath my feet. Landing heavily on my knees I groaned, my knees instantly stinging from whatever I had smacked them on. Shaking my head I stumbled to my feet to find something standing over me, a woman with wild black hair in a torn gown and the creepiest smile on her face.

"A villager going for a walk?" She whispered and I took a step back as something lurched into view beside her, groaning as it faced me. "Too bad for you and my dear brother. Looks like I have a new playmate."

"Excuse me? Who are you and..." The rest of my words were cut off as something placed a cold hand on my shoulder. I barely had time to turn my head before I felt a sharp blow to the back of it, the fog spreading through my mind as I pitched forward.

 **Sometime later...**

"What did you raise this time, Gisa? I thought one of the rules we agreed upon was no luring and murdering of bystanders?" Geralf sighed, looking briefly at his sister before his attention turned back to the body lying on the metal slab beside him.

"Don't take that tone with me, brother. Besides I didn't raise it. It was already wandering around the graveyard when I found it so someone else must have gotten there first. But they abandoned it so it's mine now." Gisa told him, one of the zombies she had raised standing at the entrance to Geralf's lab. Shaking his head at his sister, Geralf picked up a scalpel from a nearby table.

But as he set his hand on one side of the zombie's head he frowned, hearing a faint noise. "Hmm?" Geralf whispered and Gisa just giggled, skipping around his lab. "Gisa, where exactly did you find it?"

From the body lying on the slab came a faint groan. "Not...an 'it'."

"Pardon? What did it say?" Geralf asked and this time the body stirred, eyes opening and the stitcher found a pair of bright blue eyes watching him.

"I'm...a she, not an...it." I groaned, closing my eyes against the headache pounding at my temple. "My name...is Ailis and I don't like being called a zombie."

"It speaks? Must have been Lili who raised it. She can raise zombies that talk." Gisa replied and Geralf shook his head, looking back at the zombie lying on the slab again.

"Gisa, do be quiet. Now...Ailis, was it? Did Liliana raise you? What kind of zombie are you?" Geralf asked and I sighed, opening my eyes again to find a wickedly sharp-looking scalpel inches from my forehead. With a startled scream, which caused the man staring at me to drop it, I tried to move only to find I was strapped down.

Laughing the black-haired woman stepped over to me as I tried to shift away from the man with the strange eyewear standing over me. "Stop that. It's very loud." Geralf scolded as he bent to retrieve the scalpel.

"Let me go!" I shouted the moment he straightened and he cringed, immediately setting the scalpel down. "You have no right to keep me here." I growled, trying not to let them see me shaking.

"I've never met a zombie that could talk before. Other than Mikaeus but Lili raised him so I don't know if that counts." Gisa commented and I stared at her, forgetting all about her brother who was peering at me.

"Why did you kidnap me? What possible use am I to you?" I asked in a quieter voice, silently wondering what they had planned. Geralf reached for the straps holding me down and I flinched, expecting him to pull something sharp from the table near the slab I was lying on.

Before he could do anything I reached for the strap and, grasping it in one hand, I yanked on the strap as hard as I could. Without any effort I tore it free and both Gisa and Geralf stared as I did the same on the other two straps holding me down. I leapt free as one of the zombies standing in the room took a stumbling step towards me, groaning softly.

"I won't let you hurt me!" I snarled, leaping away from its outstretched, rotting hands. To my surprise Gisa just giggled, clearly enjoying my bid for freedom. When neither human tried to stop me from escaping I rushed for the door only to see something blocking the doorway.

It looked like a winged zombie, mismatched body parts stitched together to make one weird looking monster. I stared at it and it just stared back not making a move to stop me until I stepped towards the door. Then it blocked my path, moving quicker than me to grasp me by my throat. Gasping I clawed at its hands and it tightened its grip, cutting off my breathing.

I started to see spots and when my eyes started to flutter closed I heard a voice call out. "Release her. I still need her alive...it was a figure of speech." Geralf sighed as his sister burst into laugher, watching as the creature dropped me to the floor. Gasping I clutched at my own throat, not noticing both siblings watching me. Once I could breathe again I climbed to my feet and Geralf moved towards me only stopping when I lashed out, grasping the creature that had nearly strangled me by one wing.

Eyes narrowed I threw it at the man, whose one visible eye widened before the monster knocked him to the floor. Using that distraction I raced back towards the door, clearing it only to smack straight into the zombie standing in the next room.

Ending up on the ground for the second time I lay there breathing heavily until I heard a faint groan from the other side of the room. "Now that was entertaining." Gisa grinned as Geralf raised himself from the cold floor, wincing a little before he fixed his gaze on me. Noting the narrowed eye he turned my way I tensed waiting for him to set his creature on me, I guessed it was his anyway, until his lips curled into a tiny smile.

"Sister, it seems you brought back a very interesting zombie." Geralf commented, rubbing the left side of his ribs and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'm much more than a zombie, Geralf. If you keep calling me that I might just have to throw you into a wall. Repeatedly." I warned and he raised an eyebrow, the other hidden behind his goggles.

"You were right to bring her back, sister." Gerlaf spoke and I snorted, straightening my dress before I raised an eyebrow at him. "Our game just became a lot more interesting."

"What game? Besides who says I'm interested in playing?" I shot back, quickly glancing around the room. After a quick search I saw a set of double doors set into the far wall but when I took a single step towards them Geralf shook his head at me, Gisa giving me that same cold smile. "Oh hell." I muttered, turning as something wandered into the room. The winged monster watched me from the edge of the open door, its multiple eyes fixed on my face alone.

At its side I saw Geralf, the scientist with his arms crossed as he waited for me to make a move. I glanced back at the closed doorway, gauging how long I had to open it before the monster caught me and after a few seconds I let out a sigh. Swallowing I made a move towards the siblings and Gisa snorted, giving me a tiny when I edged away from the door.

"Looks like she's smarter than you, dear brother." Gisa said and Geralf shook his head, his teeth clenched. When I saw his one visible eye narrowing at his sister I managed a weak smile, now realizing that maybe there was a chance for me to escape. If I can use their animosity against them I can escape while they're fighting with each other.

 _It's worth a shot anyway..._

"So what do you want with me anyway? I'm not a mindless zombie so you can't control me, Gisa." I pointed out, feeling a little more confident when she glared at me.

 _At least it's not as creepy as that smile of hers._

"Ailis raises a good point sister. Maybe you would like to assist me in my labratory?" Geralf suggsted and I paused, wondering just who I should listen to. In the end I followed the necromancer back into the labrotory, not even sparing the ghoulcaller a second glance.

It didn't take me very long until I found myself back in his lab, trying very hard to grimace when he turned his attention from me to a jar sitting on a table. It was even harder not to gag when he unscrewed the lid, his hand slipping inside to remove a pink and very fresh looking brain.

He turned to me and I clamped a hand over my mouth, the fingers on my free hand keeping my nose pinched closed as he lifted the brain towards me. Hearing me coughing he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Is there something wrong, Ailis?" Geralf asked and I shook my head, keeping my gaze away from the brain sitting on his outstretched hand. "Is this bothering you?" He asked, just about shoving the brain under my nose. Unable to help it I raced from the room, gagging and he sighed to himself. "You would think she's never seen a brain this fresh before." He muttered, setting it back into the jar with a wet plop.

It took me a few minutes of heavy breathing, most through my nose, before I could return to the labratory. Thankfully the brain was nowhere in sight but just seeing the darkened stains on Geralf's labcoat did nothing to settle my already queasy stomach.

Geralf barely even looked at me, too intent on the multiple armed thing lying on the slab I had woken up on. As Geralf worked with a needle and thread stitching mismatched body parts together, some reasonably fresh and some looking a tad on the green side, that brought a tiny grin to my face.

 _At least I don't smell like that._

A few minutes after I re-entered the lab I had made the mistake at taking a deep breath. Once I caught a whiff of the mostly decayed thing on the slab I decided to give the creature a wide berth.


	2. Chapter 2

"So what exactly are you making?" I asked, looking over Geralf's shoulder as he leant over the slab.

"Do you know what a stitcher is?" He asked, shaking his head when I shook mine. "I use various body parts to create masterpieces."

"That's kind of cool. If you don't mind me asking why do you and your sister fight so much?" I asked and he paused, a needle threaded through the neck of the zombie.

"We...have a difference of opinion in who is better at what we do. I wrote up a set of rules months ago and she deliberetly refused to go along with any of them." Geralf grumbled and I nodded, trying very hard not to grimace as he resumed stitching his creature.

"That's pretty mean. You went to all that trouble and she makes fun of you." I told him and he lifted his head, giving me a tiny smile.

"Thank you. At least someone here understands my genius." Geralf replied and I gave him an echoing smile, secretly wondering if I could use his proud nature to my advantage. I knew I could just planeswalk away but I wasn't sure if I could bring myself back to Ravnica in one piece. "Now that my creation is nearly finished would you like to see it?" He asked and I blinked, looking at him to see him with his eyebrow raised at me.

"Of course. Would you like me to wait inside the lab?" I asked and he chuckled, slipping the needle through once more before he bit the thread.

"Wait outside for me, Ailis." He told me and I nodded, heading into the room beyond. As I moved through the doorway I heard a whistle and I looked around until I saw Gisa standing there with several zombies groaning beside her.

"My brother thinks he's better than me." Gisa commented, arms at her sides and I shook my head. "He does. He even wrote those silly rules that he expected me to obey. Like we're both still children." She complained and I gave her a sympathetic smile, not liking the smile she gave me. Something about it sent a shiver down my spine making me wonder if she was a little unhinged.

"I doubt that he thinks of you like that, Gisa. I can see you and Geralf have your differences but you're both very powerful people." I told him and she giggled, clapping her hands together. "Believe me I do understand." I added, a little bemused at how easily I could charm them.

 _I'm probably the only one that has gotten this close without being bumped off._

Very heavy footsteps woke me from my thoughts and I turned just as Geralf's lastest masterpiece, as he called it anyway, burst through the doorway. Taking most of the door with it as it stepped almost delicately into the room. It stood over me, at least twice my size and a good deal greener than me. Also a lot deader judging from the slight odor of decay that made my nose water. But I pretended not to notice as Geralf strolled into the room, wiping some dark stains onto his labcoat as he did.

"What do you think? Even you have to admit that this is a very impressive creature, dear sister." Geralf laughed, smirking when Gisa frowned at him. Chewing her lip for a moment she suddenly smiled but as she started to open her mouth I raised a hand.

"It is very impressive, Geralf." I interrupted and his face broke into a huge smile. At my side Gisa rolled her eyes at me and I just shrugged, finding his smile a lot more pleasant than Gisa's. Which was strange considering Geralf had had a scalpel inches from my face only a short time ago.

"I guess it is a little impressive, brother." Gisa agreed but I could see that same cold smile on her face. "For a weak skaab." She added and I sighed when Geralf's cheeks darkened.

"Can't you two agree on anything?" I asked and they both stared at me. "Never mind. It was a stupid question to ask." I muttered under my breath before I walked towards the front door.

Once Gisa and Geralf joined me outside, along with half a dozen zombies and one stitched skaabb, I stood a good distance away as both necromancers waited to battle. Even before Geralf was ready, Gisa sent her zombies towards his skaab and he quickly shouted an order for it to attack back.

I watched, somewhat reluctantly, as the two necromancers shouted orders back and forth. Rolling my eyes at them both I crossed my arms just as one of the zombies grabbed at the arm of the skaab. It lunged forward and the skaab roared in pain or maybe anger as the zombie bit into the muscle keeping its arm attached. Growling the skaab spun its arm around and the zombie lost its grip, flung into the others. Geralf grinned only to frown, letting out a groan that echoed the zombies as the skaab's arm tore free.

Grinning, Gisa ordered the zombies to pull the skaab down to the ground. They rushed together, their teeth grabbing at its remaining arm and legs. The skaab fought back, crushing one's head before their combined weight pulled it to the ground. It fought back for several seconds before one of the zombies tore out its throat while the rest worked together to tear the skaab apart.

Staring, Geralf didn't respond as Gisa laughed at her win. Even I shook my head a little surprised that something so powerful looking could be brought down by a bunch of rotting corpses. Now that it was safe I walked over to Geralf to find him muttering under his breath before he stomped back towards his labratory.

"He's such a child." Gisa grinned and I swallowed as her zombies continued their destruction of the skaab. "Knowing my brother he'll probably stay in his lab and sulk. I'm going to find some more zombies to play with. Maybe if I'm really lucky someone alive...well not after I find them anyway." She told me, heading into the fog as I stared at her.

Shaking my head I started for the lab wondering if Geralf really would be sulking. I stepped quickly but quietly into the building to find him standing near the slab in the middle of the room. To my amusement he had a scowl on his face, chewing his lower lip as I watched.

He didn't notice when I headed his way and it wasn't until I cleared my throat that he finally looked up, just about tripping over his own feet when I grinned at him. "Geeze I didn't think my smile was that frightening. Granted I look a little different than I used to but..." I trailed off when he gave me a tiny smile, brushing his hands on his shirt.

"I was merely lost in thought." Geralf explained and I giggled to see his cheeks slightly pink. "It is true, Ailis." He insisted and I rolled my eyes at him, hands on my hips.

"Yeah okay. So you're here because you're a good winner and not because you're mad that your sister's zombies torn your creation apart. Limb from limb." I teased and he snorted, growling softly under his breath. "Alright I get it. It was a pretty cool creature you came up with." I admitted and his one visible eye widened.

"Cool?! Brilliant maybe. Or magnificent yes. Those would be sufficient. But not cool." Geralf argued and I couldn't help giggling at how wide his eye went.

I ended up hunched over as I giggled, not noticing the tiny smile he fixed me with a moment later. Or the way his gaze moved over my body before his eye rested on the front of my dress, his cheeks reddening before his eye moved to the slab in the center of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

"If you're curious Gisa's gone looking for some more zombies to raise." I told Geralf a few minutes later as he paced the lab. Noting the slight redness in his cheeks I began to wonder what had caused it until I looked down at myself, finally noticing to my horror that the dress Liliana had lent me had slipped down a little. I quickly adjusted it silently wondering if Geralf had caught a glimpse of my cleavege.

 _Judging from the blush I'm going with yes, he did._

"That is typical of my sister. She beats me once and then rushes away like she's better than me." Geralf grumbled and I tried not to grin at the grimace on his face.

"From what I could gather Gisa's beaten you more than once." I replied, secretly pleased when he blinked at me. "Sorry is that a sore subject?" I teased and he snorted as he crossed his arms, one eye narrowed at me.

"You are starting to sound like my 'dear' sister." Geralf muttered turning to the slab in the center of the lab. "If you are only going to make snide remarks you should leave." He whispered and I frowned as he reached towards the table beside the slab, picking up a glass jar. When he turned back I was still standing there lost in thought and his eye narrowed. "Why are you still here?"

"I don't know, okay?" I snapped suddenly, turning so he couldn't see me chewing my lower lip. "Knew I shouldn't have come back here." I grumbled as I stalked towards the open doorway.

"I've never even seen you before so how could you have come back here? Now what are you muttering about?" Geralf sighed and I whirled around to find him holding a needle and thread in one hand.

"It's none of your business!" I shouted and he jumped the needle slipping from his fingers. He stepped back just in time to avoid the sharp end hitting his boot and after the shock wore off he knelt. "Sorry. Actually, no I'm not sorry at all. From the moment I came here both you and your sister act like I'm one of your creations. You kidnapped me and forced me into staying here. Then you act like you're superior to me, that my opinions don't matter." I snapped at him as he straightened, the needle held between his fingers.

"I didn't kidnap you, Ailis. My sister did." Geralf argued and I rolled my eyes at him.

"That doesn't matter because you two are acting like I'm a favourite toy to be fought over. Oh and I know you were looking at my breasts when I was laughing before. Your cheeks are all red." I added and Geralf actually took a step back, letting out a cough.

"I was not...I didn't..." Geralf stammered and I raised an eyebrow, waiting for the stitcher to respond. "I believe I owe you an apology, Ailis." He finally admitted and I blinked, curious as to why he didn't deny taking a peek. "Despite being a zom...uh, a undead individual you are remarkable well preserved."

"Is that your idea of a compliment, Geralf?" I asked with both eyebrows raised at him as he fiddled with the needle. "Well no one's ever complimented me on my appearance before. Most people are too busy trying to run away from me."

"Why would they do that?" Geralf asked and I just shrugged, remembering the Boros guard who had mistaken me for one of Gruuls' creations. "You are very pretty...for a non-living person."

"I've never been called that before." I admitted and he gave me a tiny smile. "Hey is that your attempt at flirting with me?" I teased and his cheeks immediately reddened leaving me unable to form a single word.

 _What the hell am I doing? I'm supposed to be playing one sibling against the other, not making eyes at the brother._

"Ailis, did you hear anything I just said?" Geralf's voice woke me and I blinked, quickly shaking my head to clear it. "I did not think you did."

"Give me a break, Geralf. I was thinking about...things so of course I didn't hear you." I answered and he raised his eyebrows at me, pausing in the middle of stitching a torso to a pair of legs. I tried not to grimace at the sight of the needle poking through grey skin but when I was human I didn't have the strongest stomach and that apparently didn't change after I was turned.

"What were you thinking about?" Geralf asked, not waiting for my reply as he resumed stitching together his newest creation.

"Nothing that would interest you, stitcher." I muttered moving towards the doorway again and he just shrugged his attention solely on the slab. With a snort and I glare aimed at the stitcher I made my way outside the laboratory.

 _I hope I can find my way out of this nightmare. Maybe once I figure out how I planeswalked here I can go back to Ravnica._


	4. Chapter 4

_I can't believe I'm looking for Gisa. She seems like the least stable of the pair and that's saying something right there._

Shaking my head at the strangeness of my situation I kept my eyes on the faint footsteps etched into the muddy ground, paying close attention to the bootprints. I soon heard a shrill whistle and even though it hurt my ears I followed it coming across Gisa and the same six zombies milling about. Seeing her standing over an open grave was a little unnerving especially as something near her feet started to scratch its way out, moaning softly while its fingernails scratched at the dirt.

"Do you like my new playmate?" Gisa asked and I nearly jumped when the zombie ripped its way from out of dirt, lifting itself up and out of its grave. Standing nearly a foot taller than Gisa it opened its mouth, letting out another faint moan as it shuffled over to stand beside its brethern. Swallowing I stepped closer noting the torn burial suit it still wore, dirt falling from it and from this close I could see one of its eyes was gone only a dark hole remaining.

Slightly sickened by the newly raised undead I waited as Gisa skipped over to me, acting more like a child than a grown woman who had almost casually raised the dead.

"It's...nice. So your brother's a little upset at losing to you." I answered after a pause and she rolled her eyes, throwing a strand of black hair over one shoulder.

"He's just jealous that I was everyone's favourite when we were growing up." Gisa giggled and I shrugged, looking back towards the castle ignoring the zombies who kept looking towards me. "My dear brother is such a sore loser." She added with a grin that sent a shiver down my spine. Not letting her see me squirm, which wasn't easy when I caught a whiff of her newest raised friend, I just nodded in agreement and she clapped her hands together with an amused smile. "Finally. Someone who agrees with me." She laughed and I grinned, echoing the smile as I considered why I'd chosen to talk to the clearly unstable woman.

"So are you going to challenge Geralf again?" I asked and she frowned, thinking about it.

"Not until he finishes sulking. I grow tired of his whining and I'm sure you do too." Gisa finally answered and I gave her a one armed shrug.

"I know just what you mean. Though if you can be patient maybe I can convince him to play with you again. Though I doubt he'll prove a match for you." I told her and she threw back her head, letting out a loud laugh that made me jump. Gathering myself I waiting patiently for her to finish before Gisa gave me a quick nod, heading further into the fog with her horde following at her heels.

Finding myself suddenly alone in the cold fog I shivered, pulling the cloak Jace had lent me tighter around my body. But it did little to warm me from the cold and I soon found myself heading back towards the castle seeking the warmth of the building, even if I didn't enjoy the company of a certain stitcher. Though his company was much prefered than his less than sane sister so in the end I retraced my steps finding myself standing before the wooden door within a few minutes of walking.

Pushing the remains of the wooden door aside I stepped into the castle and after listening closely I blinked hearing silence. Slightly confused I wandered towards the lab where I had last seen Geralf but I found it empty of the stitcher and I frowned, lightly tapping my boot on the floor as I considered my next move.

 _I wonder where he went? If he's not in his lab where else could he be?_

I wandered around the lab for a while but there was no trace of Geralf and I sighed to myself, a littl annoyed that he'd wandered off while I was talking to his sister.

"Trust Geralf to leave right when I wanted to talk to him." I whispered to myself and that's exactly when a voice behind me spoke.

"What exactly do you want, Ailis?" Geralf asked and I shrieked, spinning around so fast I nearly knocked him back into the door he'd just exited. "Calm yourself." He scolded, his reflexes fast enough to dodge my flailing arms and a punch that would have left his nose bruised.

"Don't sneak up on me!" I snapped at him and his one eye widened. "Just don't." I added much quieter as I turned around, my back facing him so I could hurriedly wipe my now welling eyes.

"Why?" Geralf asked when I whirled around, nostrils flaring like an angry horse before he felt the tip of one finger poking him in the chest. "Ailis, have you been taking notes from my sister?" He asked with a slight smirk on his lips.

Realizing glaring at him wouldn't help I instead poked him a little harder and he narrowed his eye this time, staring down at me as I continued to stand there. "I'm nothing like your sister, stitcher so get that thought out of your think head right now." I warned and he just chuckled at me. The next thing I knew I had my left hand gripping Geralf's throat and his hands were weakly flailing at mine, his face turning a bright red as he struggled to breathe.

It wasn't until he tried to speak, his lips moving but no sound emerging when I released him and he hit the floor hard. After he stopped coughing he rubbed at his throat and I cringed once I saw the red finger marks around his neck. "That...was a little...uncalled for, Ailis." He coughed, using his open palms to push himself up from the cold labratory floor.

With no answer for my brief rage I remained silent while he climbed back to his feet and after dusting his apron with his right hand he crossed his arms. "Never sneak up on me again, Geralf." I whispered and without another word I started for the front door trying to hide my increasingly watery eyes. Perplexed by my unprovoked attack, Geralf followed keeping a foot behind me.

I could hear his approaching footsteps but I pretended not to notice, wiping my eyes instead as I struggled to understand just how close I'd come to strangling him. It wasn't until he cleared his throat that I finally stopped walking and after I turned back around I winced when I saw him rubbing his throat. "Ailis, if I promise not to scare you again will you promise not to choke me?" He asked and I sighed, rubbing at my eyes and he gave me a weak smile.

"If I did I doubt your sister would ever forgive me." I countered and he snorted, making me fight to stop myself from laughing when he screwed up his nose.

"Please. You would be doing her a favor. Besides you and I both know she would just raise me as one of her many undead." Geralf answered with a tiny smile that curled his lips and I found myself smiling back, silently grateful he could forgive my slip up so quickly.

 _Okay I'm supposed to be pitting one sibling against the other to give myself enought time to figure out this planeswalking thing. Now I'm worrying about losing Geralf's respect?_

"Ailis, can you hand me that scalpel?" Geralf asked and I raised my head, seeing him looking directly at me. "Did you even hear a word I said?" He added with a slightly bemused smile when I gave him a slow head shake.

"Sorry but what did you say, Geralf? I was somewhere else." I explained and he calmly repeated the intructions. After I grabbed the scalpel, being careful not to stab myself in the process, I handed it off to Geralf. Giving me one more quick grin he returned his attention to the corpse lying on the slab. Leaning over it I watched as he slipped the blade into its cranium and I couldn't help making a slight gagging noise as he unhurriedly sliced its grey flesh.

Geralf nearly dropped the scalpel when I clamped a hand over my mouth to prevent a loud groan of disgust emerging. Raising an eyebrow at me Geralf tried to concentrate and it worked until I coughed again, immediately looking away with a hand over my stomach this time once I saw Geralf begin to lift the skin covering the corpse's forehead. Muttering under his breath, Geralf looking towards me.

"Ailis, if you are that queasy maybe you should wait outside..." He begin just as I rushed outside the labratory. "Until I'm finished." He finished, going back to his work as he tried to ignore the sound of someone throwing up in the room beyond.

"How can he be so casual about...cutting up a dead body?" I coughed, spitting onto the dirt outside the castle. Raising my head I wiped at my mouth with a less than steady hand. "Guess I was wrong about choosing him as the normal one. Maybe not normal but at least he doesn't giggle and prance around." I muttered to myself, giggling a little myself when the image of Geralf prancing around his lab like Gisa popped into my head.

Deciding to give the stitcher time to finish his creation, and for my stomach to settle itself, I wandered around the castle making sure not to enter the labratory until Geralf came looking for me. While I did I soon found a large oak door that resembled the front door that Geralf's previous skaab had torn down in its hastle to battle Gisa's zombie horde.

Carefully I reached for the doorknob and once I turned it the door swung open with the tiniest of squeaks. A little more confident I wandered inside closing the door gently behind me and I found myself in a room with a small bed and a table with a lit lantern. Staring at the flame I flinched and, making sure to give the flame a wide berth, I moved closer to the bed. On a much closer examination I found a well worn blanket covering the mattress and after staring at it I began to wonder just whose it was.

In only a moment my vision blurred and I blinked, clearing my eyes while I took a deep breath. "Wow...feeling kind of funny." I whispered, taking a long look at the bed. "Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to check just how comfortable the bed is. Just hope its owner doesn't find me."

Climbing onto the mattress I lay back, finding that despite how threadbare the blanket was it was pretty warm. Wrapping it around my thin frame I relaxed, staring up at the ceiling as I considered my next move. I wanted to find my murderer but since I couldn't remember much of my previous life other than the last day or so as a human I found myself getting a little frustrated. That and a little tired since I had laid down that it was a little hard to concentrate when my eyes kept wanting to drift shut.


	5. Chapter 5

Geralf reached for the needle and thread on the table next to the slab, the as yet motionless skaab he was working on lying there. Humming to himself as he sewed its forehead together before he set the needle back on the table, giving his newest creation a once over.

"Let's see my 'dear' sister and her zombies take my masterpiece down this time." He chuckled to himself, adjusting the eyepiece covering his left eye. Pulling off his gloves he set them down beside the skaab, wiping his hands on the apron covering his waist. "I haven't seen Ailis for a while. I hope she isn't in the company of my sister. Who knows what lies Gisa's telling her right now." He muttered as he strode across the labratory to find the door wide open and he frowned. "Ailis could have at least closed the door behind her."

Moving through the open doorway, Geralf closed the door quietly behind him.

 _Now where to look first_ , he thought. Purely on a whim he walked the short distance to his bedroom and as he reached for the doorknob he froze, listening as someone called out.

"Who's there?" Geralf called out, mentally scolding himself when his voice cracked slightly. Swallowing he very slowly opened the door to find his bedroom already occupied. Once he closed the door he approached the bed, wondering if this was a prank by Gisa until he found Ailis curled up, her knees pressed tightly against her stomach. Despite being a little annoyed at having his bed taken over he couldn't help a tiny smile when she turned over, one of her arms dangling over the bed.

"That is my bed you're occupying, Ailis." Geralf scolded and Ailis groaned when he very rudely poked her in the cheek with an index finger. "Truthfully it wasn't my bedroom to begin with but the previous owner had no need for it after we found them wandering outside." He added, grimacing as he remembered seeing that twisted creature attacking the few remaining humans left in Thraben. "What that titan...thing had turned it into anyway." He muttered more to himself with a shudder, the image of tentacles a little hard to forget.

His mind occupied with thoughts of what happened in Thraben to leave it a virtual ghost town Geralf didn't notice an eye staring at him and when he continued to mutter to himself he heard a loud sigh. "Could you keep the noise down? Some of us are trying to sleep." I asked and Geralf raised an eyebrow at me.

"Some of us would appreciate it if someone didn't take over their bed." Geralf countered and I opened my other eye, glaring at him once I was a little more awake. "Is that expression supposed to be scary? If so you do realize I spend most of my time creating skaabs?" He told me and I rolled my eyes, sitting up before I pulled my cloak tighter around me once I noticed Geralf's eyes wandering.

"Will you stop that?" I scolded and he blinked, one eye going wide once Geralf understood why I was so mad. "Oh don't act like that. You were looking me up and down a few seconds ago." I answered and he coughed, turning his head slightly to hide his glowing cheeks. "Hmph you men are all alike."

"Excuse me?" Geralf spluttered, turning back to glare at me this time. "I'll have you know I am a respectable man and..." He trailed off when I gave him a tiny smile, a snort escaping my nose.

"Respectable? Yeah right, Geralf. Flash a bit of skin and you go all red." I teased and Geralf crossed his arms against his chest, trying to look innocent.

"It's your own fault for wearing such a revealing dress." Geralf countered and I rose from my spot on his bed. I stepped forward and he blinked at me when I poked him right in the chest.

"For your information, stitcher, this dress was...well, a gift would be pushing it but it was from Liliana anyway so...oh who cares?!" I snapped and Geralf took a step back before he could prevent it making me raise an eyebrow in annoyance. "Geeze calm down would you? I'm not that scary am I?" I muttered and Geralf straightened the apron he was wearing, unable to think of a suitable answer. "I'm so hideous that even someone who hangs around with rotting body parts all day finds me frightening?" I muttered and Geralf cleared his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable when I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I didn't say that, Ailis." Geralf quickly answered and I wiped my now watery eyes, slightly ashamed at myself for being worried about my appearence. "I don't think you are ugly."

"Thank you I guess?" I answered in the silence that filled the small bedroom.

"Did you have a very traumatic death?" Geralf asked me and I stared at him, the question shocking me into silence until he cleared his throat again. "I should not have asked such a personal question." He admitted and I growled, muttering under my breath as I pushed past him.

Slamming the door in his face seemed a little over the top as I sat in a grave marker but after a few more minutes careful thought I shook my head, angrily wiping at my wet eyes.

 _How would he like going through what I did? Being murdered by the same monster that took away your parents?_

I sighed to myself, shaking my head as the last image of my home burning popped into my mind. Sniffing I wiped at my eyes again, pulling my cloak around myself when I started to shiver. "I can't believe I still get cold. I'm supposed to be dead for crying out loud." I muttered to myself, pulling the hood of the cloak to cover my head. "This sucks."

"That is an unusual drawback for a zombie." A voice said and my head jerked up to find Geralf standing a foot from me. "Why did you wander all the way out here?" He asked and I just shrugged, still hiding my face. "Ailis?"

"I should be asking you that, stitcher. I just needed some fresh air...Innistrad's attempt anyway." I answered and he nodded, stepping close enough to stand over me. "Could you move a little? I was enjoying the sunshine." I asked and he actually laughed, still chuckling when I found myself blushing. "Okay well maybe the moonlight anyway." I admitted.

A cold wind blew over me and I shivered, pulling the cloak tighter to keep myself warm. Geralf stood there for a few seconds before there was a light tap on my left shoulder and I raised my head to see Geralf staring at me. "Do you need something, Geralf?" I sighed and he shook his head, extending his hand to me. A little curious I allowed him to help me from the grave marker, not looking back at the open grave and the light fingernail marks that suggested the owner had recently vacated it.

We arrived back at the castle without running into Gisa which made me wonder just where the ghoulcaller had disappeared to.

"My dear sister is probably wandering the nearby town looking for corpses to call. I wouldn't worry about her as she can take care of herself." Geralf told me as we headed back into his labratory and I couldn't help a brief smile when I heard him add. "Even if I was the one rescuing her and not the other way around."

"Is there a reason you brought me back here other than to critize your sister?" I asked him, stepping over to the slab. I immediately froze once I found it was empty and I turned back to Geralf. "I hate to tell you this but I think your creation's escaped." I pointed out and he gave me a tiny smile just before something crashed through the wall behind me. I screamed, trying to dodge the flying debris but I wasn't quick enough and a large piece of plaster struck me in the back of my head, knocking me to the floor at the same time.

Waking a second time with a pounding headache was a little embarrassing and it grew worse when I tried to sit up from the soft blanket someone had set me down on.

"Not a good idea, Ailis." Someone told me, a strong pair of hands pushing me back by my shoulders and I blinked open my eyes to see Gisa standing nearby, her eyes focused on someone sitting beside the bed. "Geralf tried to kill you a second time." Gisa told me and on the seat beside the bed Geralf fixed her with a glare.

"I did nothing of the sort, sister. The wall injured Ailis not me." Geralf countered and I stared at him, my focus blurring a little. "Though my masterpiece did cause that accident." He admitted in a quieter voice.

"You mean your skaab, dear brother." Gisa taunted and I shook my head, making a second attempt to sit up. With her arms crossed against her chest, Gisa looked on with a small smile as Geralf pressed a hand to my left shoulder.

"I remember something broke through the wall and then it kind of goes a bit dark after that." I told them and at my side, Geralf grimaced. "Wait a minute. You caused this?" I shouted once the image of that creature tearing through the wall popped into my head.

"It was an accident, Ailis." Geralf assured me and that's right when I noticed the needle and thread in his open palm. Seeing it my eyes widened and he stared at me for a moment. "I was just finishing stitching...never mind." He quickly added so I turned my head to face Gisa and she giggled.

"Geralf's 'creation' grabbed you after that flying piece of stone knocked you out cold. He doesn't want to tell you that you have a wound in the back of your head." Gisa teased and I blinked as she pointed. Despite Geralf's objections I reached up towards the spot directly beween my ears, gasping from both the dull throbbing and the feeling of a set of neat stitches across the back of my skull.

The wound ached and so did my head but I managed to snap at Geralf when he tried to move closer and he quickly pulled his hand back. "Keep your hands to yourself, stitcher." I snapped at him, slumping onto the bed. "If you touch me ever again you'll need more than a needle and thread to put yourself back together." I hissed and he climbed to his feet, dusting off his apron. Facing the wall so I wouldn't have to look at either of the mad siblings I started to growl under my breath until I heard their retreating footsteps and as the door clicked behind them I closed my eyes letting out a tiny sniffle.

"Nice one, dear brother. You have such a way with people." Gisa laughed as she followed her brother from his bedroom. "The only woman who showed any interest in you, Avacyn knows why, and you set your monster on her." She continued to taunt him as he headed down the stairs leading back to the ground floor and his labratory.

"It was a mistake, Gisa. The next time we talk I will show her how a real man acts towards an attractive woman." Geralf protested and Gisa paused on the fifth step, eyes widening before she cracked a huge smile. As soon as she started to giggle, Geralf knew he'd walked right into her trap. "That came out all wrong. I meant to show her compassion not what you think I said." He added in a low voice though the damage was already done and with a head shake he headed as quickly as he could away from his sister, who continued to bay like a hyena at her brother.

Returning to his laboratory, Geralf found his creation wandering around aimlessly. Without any orders it had waited for him to return and once he did it stood over him, easily seven foot tall with four arms and a mismatched set of brown and green eyes that peered at him silently. "I need you to stand guard over the entrance to this castle. If you see anything approach send it away...unless it's my sister." He quickly added as it started to stumble towards the doorway and he sighed, staring at its two left feet. Literally two left since he couldn't find a right one.

 _Now what do I say to Ailis? She isn't acting like I thought she would after I kindly stitched up her head. Hopefully all of those lessons in etiquette our parents made me suffer through will have some use. They certainly did nothing for Gisa._


	6. Chapter 6

I woke to a light tap on the door. Shaking my head I used my elbows to push myself up as I struggled to remember how I'd ended up in a bedroom that didn't belong to me. Once I did my eyes narrowed at the door in time to hear a second slightly louder knock.

"If that's you, Geralf I don't want to talk to you." I called out and he paused with his hand inches from the door. Standing there he considered what I had just called out before he politely knocked again and I growled. "Geralf, go away."

"Ailis, I believe I told you before that that is my room you have taken over and...no." Geralf muttered and with a sigh he looked squarely at the door. "Ailis, I have come by to apologize for my actions. Would you allow me entry so I may apologize?" He called out and I blinked, taken a moment to think of an answer.

"You can come in. I really can't stop you since this is your bedroom." I answered and the door slowly creaked open to reveal Geralf who actually bowed in my direction. Closing the door quietly behind him the stitcher started to head towards my bed only stopped when I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why did you come here really? I doubt very much you wanted to apologize for injurying me."

"Why do you say that, Ailis?" Geralf asked and I pointed towards the door just as a knock made the door shake. "That was not me." He told me and I rolled my eyes at him, arms now crossed against my chest.

"Of course it wasn't, Geralf. Since you're in here with me and that knocking is making the doorframe shake I'm guessing that your creation is doing that. Should we invite it in before it breaks down the door?" I sighed and he nodded, taking a single step towards the door just as there was a crash and he rushed towards me, both sets of eyes wide and unblinking.

Standing there Geralf's creation held the remains of the door in one of its muscular hands and if a skaab could look embarassed it managed it. "Too late." I muttered as Geralf cocked an eyebrow at his creation, asking it with a slightly raised voice to kindly drop the door. Which it immediately did and we both flinched at the crash as what was left of the bedroom door smacked into the floor, sending pieces of it in every direction barely missing us.

"That was unexpected." Geralf eventually pointed out, straightening his apron and I groaned, rubbing at my eyes. "I should ask it to stand guard outside the room."

"A little late, stitcher. Maybe it's lonely and it just wants some company." I suggested and he turned his head to stare at me, mouth slightly open. "I was joking." I growled at him and he swallowed as I glared at him.

"I knew that, Ailis. Truthfully I wanted to show you my newest creation, with a few alterations, as well as apologize. When I enquired about your death and subsequent revival I did not intend for you to take offense or to upset you." Geralf began and I took a shaky breath. "You are the first person who has listened to me without making fun of me immediately afterwards. I find it...refreshing."

"If you really want to be my friend we need to get something sorted first." I started and Geralf nodded, making me giggle despite the urge to kick him in the shin for setting his skaab on me earlier. "First of all I want your guarantee that you won't sic your skaab on me again." Geralf nodded again before he had even understood what he'd agreed.

"Good. My second condition and my last is that you would find me somewhere to stay in this castle. The third and final condition is that you never ask me about my death and rebirth unless I choose to tell you. Do you agree?" I asked him, sticking out a hand and Geralf frowned. At first I thought he wouldn't agree then he surprised me by sticking out his right hand, minus his gloves.

"Agreed." Geralf said, a faint smile on his lips and I gave him a tiny smile of my own. Reaching out a little further I felt his hand give mine a firm handshake and that made me realize that despite his constant work they were surprisingly soft. "Ailis, why are you staring at my hands?" He asked and I quickly released his hand, hoping that my cheeks weren't glowing.

"I've never seen you without your gloves." I replied and he gave me a slight nod who I noticed he had his eye fixed on me for several moments before he cleared his throat. "Why? Did you think I was staring at you because I was interested in you?" I teased and Geralf grimaced as I rose from the bed, my arms again crossed against my chest. "I'll admit you are fun to spend time with but I am not interested in you beyond that. Especially not as a potential boyfriend."

"I was not implying that, Ailis. I merely suggested that we could be friends." Geralf retored though the pause left me wondering if he had been considering it. "Now are you interested in taking a tour of Trosad?" He added and I smiled, climbing from the bed. His creation moved several steps to the left allowing us to leave the bedroom and with an audible sigh, Geralf beckoned me to follow him.

I allowed him to lead us outside, his skaab bringing up the rear as we headed towards the front room of the castle. Silently I followed at Geralf's heels, keeping my eyes peeled for his sister but Gisa put in an appearance even as we left the castle and I let out a slow breath not surprised to see the fog flow from my mouth. With a shiver I pulled my cloak tighter around my shoulders, grateful once again to Jace for gifting it to me.

It wasn't until we reached the outskirts of the graveyard where Geralf had found me when he froze and I nearly knocked him over, his skaab grabbing my shoulder to keep me steady. "Where are we?" I whispered but Geralf didn't seem to hear me, his attention focused on something moving in the fog. Even the skaab kept quiet and I stared as a zombie stambled out of the fog and directly into Geralf's path.

Geralf took one look at the zombie before he frowned at it, turning his head to look at me. "It's a messenger from my sister." He muttered and I raised an eyebrow until he gestured towards an envelope clutched in what remained of its left hand. As Geralf took the envelope I cringed as two of the zombie's fingers dropped off though Geralf didn't even flinch, ripping the envelope apart as he extracted the note.

I watched on, keeping close to his skaab as Geralf's eyes moved over the letter. Eventually he raised his head, crumbling up the letter with a sneer on his face and with a casual toss he threw it at the zombie who didn't even move. "Tell my dear sister that Ailis is my companion and not hers." He growled at the zombie who actually managed to bow without falling before it turned around, stambling away while Geralf glared at it.

"Well I do prefer you over your sister. At least you never bashed me in the head." I told him and Geralf stared at me, still frowning until I gave him a quick grin. He returned it straight afterwards and I giggled, shocking myself into silence.

 _Okay, why am I acting so girly? I was never like this when I was alive._

"If you're ready let's continue my tour of Trosad." Geralf suggested and I quickly nodded, keeping the hood down so Geralf couldn't see my two darkened cheeks. We had only been walking for less than half an hour when I saw a zombie staring at us. After peering at it for a few seconds I glared at it and Geralf stared at me, now standing at my side with his skaab towering over us.

"It's back." I grumbled and he blinked at me then the zombie before his eyes narrowed at the zombie, who continued to stare at us moaning softly.

"For the last time I won't bring Ailis back." Geralf told the messenger who had just started to turn around when something struck the zombie in the side of its head, the zombie managing one last pitiful moan before it crumbled to the ground. The thing that rose from the fog made my heart skip a beat, something with withering tentacles and more eyes than would necessary on one being came lurching out.

Waving its tentacles around the creature ignored us, leaning down before it started to tear into the unfortunate zombie. Th zombie tried to climb to its feet but the horror grabbed its legs in two tentacles before it pulled, tearing the zombie's legs off before it proceded to beat the zombie into a mess of blood and guts the sight making me gag a little.

"I don't think that's one of Gisa's." Geralf whispered and I cocked an eyebrow at him once the urge to puke vanished.

"Gee you think? If we head back to the castle maybe it won't notice us." I suggested, keeping my voice low in case the abomination noticed us. Thankfully it was too involved in pulping the unfortunate zombie so we started to back away though just as we started to fade into the fog I heard a crunch and the abomination's head snapped up, its multiple eyes peering directly at our hiding place. I looked back at Geralf who pointed to his skaab and I rolled my eyes, grabbing the stitcher's arm before I pulled him further back into the fog.

The horror moved its head, tentacles waving in the air before it lurched to its feet and as it started to head in our direction I froze. I began to tremble as the monster grew closer and my grip on Geralf's tightened. His arm throbbing now, Geralf looked down at me.

He was about to tell me to let go until he saw me wide-eyed and unblinking as the abomination lurched closer and closer. Seeing my shoulders quivering he sighed, turning to his skaab he whispered something I didn't hear. In a flash the skaab leapt from our hiding place, knocking the abomination over with a screech. I would have stayed there staring if Geralf hadn't pulled me into the fog and I shook myself out of my daze before I started to run back to the castle.

I took a few steps before I checked if Geralf had followed to see him giving his skaab a backward glance before he took off after me. Barely able to see in the fog I stumbled multiple times, leaving my legs bruised though the fear of being caught by that tentacled horror forced me to ignore the pain as I crashed the fog until a hand reached out and grabbed mine.

I flailed at it just as Geralf loomed out of the fog, making me shriek before he could clamp a hand roughly over my mouth. "Ailis, stop struggling. It's only me." He whispered and I lifted my head, glaring at him until he uncovered my mouth.

"Who else would be running around in the dark?" I snapped and Geralf frowned at me, his mouth opening to answer back until we both heard the sound of shuffling feet. This time I took the annative, pulling Geralf backwards so the dense fog would hide us. Watching from the fog I saw the tentacled creature wander nearby and I swallowed, hoping it wouldn't see us. It didn't at first shuffling by and I gave Geralf a weak grin, nodding my head towards the castle. After a pause he motioned me to follow him and we slowly crept in the opposite direction of the horror, Geralf glancing back just as the creature raised its head.

To our shock it sniffed the air and before I could figure out how it could smell anything without a visible nose its head swung round. Multiple eyes lining its face stared directly in our direction and I swallowed as it raised its head, its impossibly long limbs raised above its head before it let out a shriek that left my ears ringing, the noise making Geralf clamp both hands over his ears.

For a brief moment I couldn't hear and at my side Geralf raised his head, his eyes widening before he started to shout. Still unable to hear I blinked at him, confused until he threw his body at me. Thrown to the ground I caught a glimpse of the monster as it lunged, just missing us before it smacked into the ground.

I blinked back stars to find myself pinned to the cold and dusty ground by Geralf, the stitcher's cheeks turning a deep red once he realized just how close we were.

"You mind...getting off of me?" I coughed and he quickly rose, even offering a hand up with I gratefully took. Helped to my feet I gave him a quick smile which disappeared when I remembered the monster that had righted itself. Grabbing Geralf's hand I yanked him towards me and we vanished into the fog just as the monster turned back to find us gone.

This time we stayed in the fog, keeping silent until we could be sure that the monster pursuing us was long gone. Even with the creature gone I kept telling myself that I was only keeping a firm grip on Geralf's waist due to fear.

Though I did notice he didn't push me away.


	7. Chapter 7

It took much longer to reach Geralf's castle on the way back but we completely avoided running into that horrible tentacled thing so I didn't mind the trek one bit. Once we arrived at Geralf's home, right now anyway, Geralf led me through the open doorway. I followed at his heels as we walked past the doorway leading into his labratory and further in, his eyes travelling over the doors we passed until he slowed and I managed to avoid bumping into him.

"We're here, Ailis." Geralf told me and I tilted my head to one side, very confused until he chuckled at me. "This is my kitchen." He explained, turning the doorknob to reveal a small kitchen. With a bow he stepped back to let me in first and I moved past him, heading towards the nearest table the moment I laid eyes on it.

When I collapsed onto a chair both of Geralf's eyebrows shot up.

"Before you ask I'm tired, okay?" I mumbled, resting my head on the table with a loud sigh and he shook his head at me giving me a faint smile. "Another thing that sucks. Being undead and getting exhausted."

"That's very interesting, Ailis." Geralf commented as he crossed the room and I just snorted, lifting my head enough to slide my arms under it. Moving to my side the skaberen looked down at me when I let out a breath despite not really needing to breathe before I closed my eyes.

I was rudely awakened sometime later when I heard a cough and I raised my head, blinking my eyes to find Geralf standing next to my seat. "Now what do you want, stitcher?" I groaned, lifting my head with some difficulty to see two plates resting on each of his hands.

"I was going to offer you something to eat but if you insist on being rude, Ailis I might have to reconsider giving this to you." Geralf sighed and I quickly sat straighter. "I'm still not convinced you really want this." He added while waving the plate piled with crispy looking bacon and eggs in front of my face. I'm embarrassed to admit I made my lower lip quiver in response and Geralf set the plate down in front of me with a smile.

We ate in relative silence except for one attempt made by me to thank him until I discovered that talking with a mouthful of bacon doesn't work very well. Judging from the grimace Geralf gave me it wasn't very pleasant for either of us so I finished my meal with my face slightly lowered so I didn't have to look him directly in the face.

"Ailis, I know you don't want to talk about how to became a sentient zombie but..." Geralf began pausing the moment my eyes narrowed at him and he coughed.

"You won't stop asking until I tell you will you, Geralf?" I asked in a soft voice and when he briefly nodded I picked at the remains of my meal. "If you promise never to talk about it to anyone I will." I finally agreed and Geralf gave me a smile. Setting down my cutlery I took a deep breath, letting it out before I began to speak.

"It started with a man who wouldn't take no for an answer. He just wandered into my village unannounced and decided I was going to be his wife. I thought he would just leave when I told him I wasn't interested but I was wrong. He even tried to steal a kiss from me and I slapped him even shoving the idiot so hard he fell and ended up on his backside. I thought that was the end until..." I trailed off when a familiar face stepped into the kitchen and my eyes narrowed.

"Until what, Ailis? Come on it was just getting good." Gisa spoke and I kept glaring until Geralf looked directly at me, giving me a slow nod. Swallowing the lump in my throat I pushed on not even feeling the tears that welled in my eyes.

"He came back that night trying to drag me away from my home. My parents tried to stop him but he and his cronies forced them back into their house. He trapped them in our house and...set it alight. I remember their screams as they tried to escape, telling me to run away. I managed to escape into the forest but he followed me and when I refused to go with him he...stabbed me. There was a burst of light and when I woke...I was like this." I coughed as I wiped at my eyes. Hearing a giggle I froze my eyes travelling the room until I saw Gisa grinning at me, her lips moving as she giggled.

"So you're a zombie because some guy wanted you for a wife?" Gisa commented and with a loud growl I stood slamming my open palms against the wood of the table. The noise made Geralf jump and he blinked unmoving as I glared at his sister.

"He murdered my family and you think that's funny?" I snapped at her and she actually stopped giggling though a smile remained on her face. Not even looking back I stormed from the door and Geralf cringed when the door to the kitchen slammed shut behind me.

Geralf cleared his throat, pushing his plate away before he rose. "Sister, that was uncalled for. Hasn't Ailis suffered enough without you making fun of her?" Geralf sighed and Gisa raised both eyebrows in surprise. "You stay her and I'll talk to Ailis." He told his sister who just snorted at that suggestion, her arms crossed against her chest. Shaking his head, Geralf left the kitchen and after a few minutes he chose a direction.

Going left down the hallway lead him back to his room, or the one he'd taken over, but after a quick search which consisted of the stitcher poking his head into the room. "Ailis, are you in here?" He called getting no answer made him step back closing the door before he decided to head to the right once he returned to the hallway.

Geralf for a few more minutes until he came across a room he hadn't checked yet. Reaching up he knocked on the wooden door but he received no answer so he turned to leave, deciding to check outside, until he heard faint sobbing. That brought a frown to his face as he tried the doorknob to find the door was unlocked and with a shrug he ventured inside.

He had just closed the door behind him when Geralf heard a sniffle and he turned back around to find himself in a small bedroom. On the bed at the furthrest left corner of the room he saw a bed and crouched in one corner he found Ailis, wrapped tightly in a light blue blanket. "Ailis, are you alright?" He asked and I raised my head, my eyes now red.

"Do I look alright, stitcher?" I muttered and when he shook his head at me I coughed. "Of course not. Your sister thinks it's fun to tease me about my parents' dying. What kind of sick person makes fun of someone after they reveal that?" Wrapping the blanket tighter around my shoulders I sniffed, not expecting Geralf to close the gap between us.

Once I noticed him standing over me inches from the bed I raised my head. "Please don't tell me this is your room too?" I grumbled about to rise until he set a hand on my left shoulder and I blinked tears from my eyes meeting his gaze.

"If you want," Geralf started and I wiped my eyes with my free hand as he gave me a tiny smile, "this can be your room from now on. If you want it of course." He answered quickly removing his hand when I didn't move, my eyes wide and unblinking. Unable to get my mouth working I nodded instead and he gave me a faint smile.

"Th...thank you." I stammered after I cleared my throat and he gave me a bigger smile. "Why is your sister being so cruel to me?"

"I wish I could tell you why, Ailis but she's always been this way to me. Ever since we were children she's being a constant pain to me." Geralf answered, taking a seat beside me when I gave the mattress a pat. "Acting like she's better than me because I'm a stitcher and she's a ghoulcaller." He added, looking at the blanket as he fiddled with it.

"She just whistles for her zombies but you spend time putting a zombie together. That would take a lot more work." I replied and he brightened, looking up at me. "That's what I think anyway." I added, feeling my cheeks burning.

"That's exactly what I've been saying for years but she never listens. Even when I saved her with my creations she just shrugged it off, saying she could rescue herself." Geralf told me and I giggled, shocking myself into silence. "You have a cute laugh." He blurted out and I clamped a hand over my mouth when I snorted.

"Sorry, that happens sometimes when I laugh too hard." I mumbled from behind my open palm and Geralf chuckled, reaching for my hand. "Hey!" I yelped and he just grinned, pulling my hand away before he brought it to his lips.

Leaving me stunned when he lightly kissed the top of my hand. "I still think it's cute, snort or not." Geralf answered holding my hand when I turned my head to hide my darkened cheeks or the silly smile I had on my face.


	8. Chapter 8

When Geralf offered to take me to his labratory I readily agreed even if the sight of dead bodies still made me nauseous. Despite having a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I would soon be seeing him stitch more skaabs together I followed just behind the sitcher as we walked from my room to his lab, his eyes sweeping the hallways.

"Is something wrong, Geralf?" I asked as I fell into step behind him and he shook his head at me giving me a tiny smile which sent a weird flicker through my stomach. "That's good to know. It hasn't exactly been easy for me these last few days."

"I am sorry about what my sister did to you, Ailis." Geralf told me as we reached two pathways. "I hope your head isn't painful."

"The funny thing is it doesn't hurt anymore. One good thing about being undead; I heal much faster." I answered following at his heels once Geralf picked a direction. When we arrived at his lab he motioned me to enter and with a shrug I did so moving further into the room, only to stop once I saw the slab. After Geralf closed the door he turned around in time to see me grimace and he hurried over making me jump when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I am sorry, Ailis. I didn't think you were so jumpy." Geralf answered and I snorted, giving him a raised eyebrow in response as he removed his hand. "First of all I should apologize for dragging you to my lab of all places but I wanted somewhere that I knew my sister wouldn't venture. She doesn't see the value of my work as you've probably noticed."

"I understand, Geralf but why did you want to speak with me?" I asked and he gave me a tiny smile, making me smile back before I understood why. "Is there something on your mind?"

"My mind, yes. I was wondering if you...uh..would like...to..." Geralf trailed off, his cheeks red when I grinned at him and he found himself lost for words. Noticing that the stitcher had gone completely silent and was now staring into my eyes I waited patiently for Geralf to speak. When the silence stretched on for nearly a full minute I sighed, bored before I reached for his left hand and he blinked as I gave it a squeeze.

"Geralf, you've been staring at me for so long I was begining to think that you might be broken." I teased and he cleared his throat looking even more embarrassed at being caught staring. "Hmm if I didn't know better I'd think that you had a crush of me." I added and he just blinked at me, his cheeks burning.

"That isn't...I don't..." He spluttered once he found his voice and I couldn't help a giggle as he stared at me, trying to look annoyed at me though after some thought he coughed. "If I did what would you say to me?" He asked and he looked so hopeful I gave him a tiny smile.

"I would have to say that while I do enjoy your company a lot more than your sister's I don't know enough about you to decide." I replied and his face actually fell, a sigh escaping his lips before I gave his hand a light squeeze. "Though I must admit I would not mind finding out." I added with a tiny smile and he grinned back.

"Then let's go for a walk and you can make up your mind." He suggested and I nodded though when I started to tug him towards the door that would lead us outside his lab he froze.

"Something wrong?" I asked him and he raised both eyebrows at me. "I thought you wanted to go for a walk."

"Outside? What if we run into one of those...creatures?" Geralf said and I raised an eyebrow at him, releasing his hand at the same time. "The thing with the..." He made a show of wiggling his fingers. "Tentacles."

"Geralf, I've faced monstorious looking werewolves and death. A thing wandering around the mists with tentacles where its hands should be doesn't scare me in the slightest." I pointed out and he chewed his lower lip glancing towards the closed door before his attention moved to the safetly of the lab.

"Fine then. I'm going for a walk and you can just stay here where its nice and safe and monster-free." I grumbled, moving to the door and he cringed as I yanked it open so hard I tore the door off its hinges. Don't even caring I stomped through the opening and Geralf ran a hand over his face as he watched me disappear.

Geralf eventually just shook his head, heading back into the safety of his lab. Stepping up to the slab he decided that the best way to take his mind off Ailis would be to work on a new skabb to beat his sister the next time they faced off. So caught up with his newest creation he didn't see his sister wander in until he felt a light tap on his shoulder and he turned with a tiny smile only to blink as Gisa grinned back at him.

"So you finally decided to be pleasant for once, brother." Gisa remarked and Geralf just shurgged, looking towards the open doorway with a frown. Noting the way he stared at the opening without offering a retort or an insult Gisa giggled. "Did your girlfriend dump you? That was fast, dear brother." She mocked but Geralf didn't react other than a sigh before he turned back to the multiple-armed corpse lying on the slab.

"Sister, she was never my girlfriend." Geralf finally muttered, stitching a leg onto his creation with barely a flicker even as his sister stuck her face close to his.

"But you wanted her to be didn't you? Otherwise you would have already asked me to order one of my zombies to fix that door. Besides I've seen how you've been spending all of your time trying to impress her." Gisa pointed out and she frowned again, feeling very bored when he just sighed again clearly not caring. "Oh come on. Teasing you is no fun unless you fight back. Verbally anyway." She complained and Geralf looked up for a moment staring off into the distance.

"Ailis broke that door when I didn't want to go for a walk in the fog." Geralf explained and Gisa raised an eyebrow at him, moving to one of the zombies milling around the hallway. After she gave two an order and they set about fixing the aforementioned door she returned to her brother in time to see him close his eyes for a moment. "There's a creature out there worse than anything I've seen and right now it could be attacking Ailis and here I am where its safe." He muttered and Gisa rolled her eyes, not so gently smacking him in the back of the head. After righting himself he glared at his sister who just giggled.

"Then go after her you moron. Otherwise..." Gisa trailed off with a shrug and after setting his jaw Geralf started for the opening only pausing to yank his apron off and toss it towards the skabb he'd been working on. "Brothers. Am I right?" She said with an eyeroll and one of the zombies grunted.


End file.
